Saturday, June 3, 2017

Principals of Catholic schools throughout Australia have apologised for abuse

Principals of Catholic schools throughout Australia have apologised for abuse
KATHRYN POWLEY, Herald Sun June 1, 2017
PRINCIPALS of Catholic schools have jointly apologised for sexual abuse inflicted on students at their schools.

In a move likened to the Australian Government apologising to the Stolen Generation, Edmund Rice Education Australia today led a “National Ritual of Apology” for victims of abuse at schools including St Patrick’s Ballarat, St Kevin’s College Toorak, and Parade College.

In a special session at the organisations national principals’ conference in Canberra, executive director Wayne Tinsey read a “long overdue statement of acknowledgment and regret”, with principals and representatives of all 34 Edmund Rice Australia schools endorsing each point in unison saying “For this we apologise”.

Dr Tinsey read the statement, beginning: “Today we begin a journey of major change by publicly acknowledging the sexual abuse of students in our schools, some dead, some above, some unknown.

“Today we directly acknowledge the scarring harm of sexual abuse as abhorrent, sinful, shameful and disgraceful. And we also acknowledge that whatever was done can never be undone,”....

Young people had felt “betrayed” when they should have been nurtured. They had felt anger against their abusers and those who failed to protect them.